Herbert Victor Rowley joined the Royan Naval Air Service as a Temporary Flight Sub-Lieutenant on 30 Apr 1916. Posted to 1 Naval Squadron as a pilot in February 1917; Flight Commander later in 1917. He was involved in the flight, in October-November 1925, from Helwan, Egypt to Kaduna, Nigeria, led by Squadron Leader Arthur Coningham. Rowley retired from Royal Air Force as an Air Commodore on 26 Oct 1944.